Morning Show Blog

Viewing entries posted in 2008

Two summers ago I read a story in a blog that has recently come back to my memory. In fact, I can't quit thinking about the monkeys Fab saw that day:

One time I made the mistake of going to the Austin Rescue Zoo with a friend of mine. It is probably the most depressing way you could spend a day; each of the animals has been rescued from a terrible environment. I was excited to see the monkeys because (a) I like monkeys and (b) because these monkeys had been trapped in tiny containers (barely the size of their bodies) their entire lives and now they had this huge enclosure with room to swing in the trees and finally act like monkeys. I scanned every branch, but there were no monkeys to be seen. Then I saw a little girl pointing to the corner of the enclosure, and sure enough, there they were. The monkeys sat with hunched bodies in the corners of the cage with their faces pressed up against the bars. It was as if they didn't know that they had been set free and behind them lay this huge open space. I guess they felt more comfortable in the position they had known their entire lives. They didn't know how to move their bodies the way they were made; it hurt to stretch and move their muscles. So they just sat - looking at the exact same view they'd had before they were ever rescued.

To celebrate the first day of summer vacation my kids and I went to the movies yesterday. We love a good story, and God often uses story to show me truths about who He is and provide me with great conversations to have with my kids about our faith. Yesterday was one of those experiences.

If I were still a children's pastor I'd load up all my older kids and take them to see Maleficent this weekend. After the movie I'd take them all out for ice cream and ask them the following questions (serious spoilers ahead)...

Several years ago I was home sick. I spent the day on the couch watching TV between naps. On the Oprah show that afternoon there was a story of a little boy who lived 99 days. As a mom of 4 my heart was caught up in Matt and Ginny's story, learning they lived just a few short miles down the road from me made their story seem even more real to me. I couldn't figure out how they faced death, the death of their own child, with such grace and hope.

That's when I started following Matt's blog, trying to find the secret of the hope that carries him. Over the years I've gotten to know more that just Matt's story, I've gotten to know his heart. It's a heart that has faced the darkest, hardest things of life and grown softer, not harder, because of them. Matt loves Jesus in a way that is real and contagious. He's a loving husband, incredible dad, gifted teacher and writer, and a seriously funny guy!

We're so excited to invite you to join us as we dive into Matt Mooney's book "A Story Unfinished" this summer. Next week we'll be talking about the first few chapters.

Today, Matt joins us on the blog to help us launch the Summer Book Club. You can connect with Matt at The Atypical Life.

Last week Dave Frey from Sidewalk Prophets was in studio with us talking about his new single “Keep Making Me” and the story behind the song. He quoted C.S. Lewis “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” Those words stayed with me for days.

We sat in the gazebo in the middle of forty beautiful acres with open books on our laps discussing chapter five of “Chasing God”. It was evening and the sun was slowly setting, the only sound was that of birds scurrying about and the breeze on the wind chimes. We sat in silence as the truth of Angie’s words filled the space between us.

One Easter tradition is getting new clothes to wear. This year my Easter outfit has a bit of a different meaning.

I bought a new shirt last week. I know, buying a new shirt is not really blog-worthy; but sometimes it is. You see, six months ago I wouldn’t have bought the shirt. Why? Because “they” might not like it. Who are “they”? Glad you asked.

O God, you know us well. We are quick to speak of faith, but slow to live it fully. We shout "hosanna" as Jesus approaches, as did the people of Jerusalem many years ago; but we do not want him to come too close -- not close enough to really see...